Suite Life Awards 2009
by tiger002
Summary: Join your favorite Suite Life characters as they reveal the best stories out there. However, they need help deciding on the best of the best, so come and let your voice be heard!
1. Chapter 1: Prologue

London stood atop the Sky Deck under the light of the full moon. A red carpet rolled out in front of her, but for once it was not for her. As people began to fill the many seats set up for the occasion, the camera focused on her. The heiress stepped up to the stage and signaled for Woody to begin filming.

"Good evening, and welcome to another exciting episode of _Yay Me, Staring London Tipton!_ I'm your host London Tipton!" Woody inserted applause from his laptop. "Now, I'm sure all of you are wondering, why this isn't being filmed in my room. Well, that room is hideous."

"London, just announce what we're doing," Bailey shouted from off screen.

"Fine, please welcome my co-hosts for this chapter, my horribly dressed roommate Bailey, and my two poor friends, Zack and Cody."

"Thanks, London," Bailey said sarcastically as the three of them joined her on the stage.

"We understand that some of you have written some stories about our life on the ship and the hotel," Zack proclaimed.

"And we think it's about time we recognize the best stories out there," Cody added.

London flipped her long dark hair over her shoulder and tried to regain the lemon-light. "Over the past month, a few of our fans have been searching for the best stories out there, and we've found some good ones."

"So, London, which stories stood out to you?" Cody asked.

"Those that had me in it, duh," the heiress replied, rolling her eyes.

Cody turned to his twin brother. "Uh, what about you, Zack?"

"Those that had lots of action and explosions," he answered enthusiastically.

"You people are hopeless," Cody said and threw up his hands. "You couldn't appreciate the brilliant descriptions those authors wove into the stories? The great suspense and character development? The creative plot twists?"

"Some of them were funny," the older twin countered.

"Why do I bother?"

"Don't worry, Cody, I found some of the romance stories incredible," Bailey said as she stepped forward.

"Really?" Cody beamed.

Bailey snickered. "Of course, I can think of one story about a farm girl who comes on a ship for school and meets the man of her dreams."

Cody blushed. "Aw, you're so sweet Bales."

At this, Bailey gave a smirk. "I never said who she fell in love with."

"Well, if you're done with your boring mushy stuff, let's see who the nominations are!" Zack said. "The envelope please, Woodster."

"Right here, Zack." Woody joined his friends on stage with a paper in one hand and a jelly doughnut in the other.

Zack dramatically unfolded the paper and made the announcement. "I have no idea what this says."

"Zack, they're words," Cody informed him. "That means you have to read them,"

"I know that, Cody, it's just the paper is covered in jelly filling." Zack held up the sticky, jelly-smeared page.

All four hosts glared at Woody.

"What? I was hungry." Nervously Woody looked down and then back up at the group. "Don't worry, I have it saved on my flash drive. It should still be in my laptop."

"Uh-oh," Zack said as a look of fear came across his face.

"What's wrong now?" Cody asked.

"I wondered why that ham and cheese sandwich was crunchy."

"Great, now what do we do?" Cody asked despairingly.

"I guess we have to hope the committee has a back-up file somewhere," Bailey said.

"Preferably one my brother did not eat," grumbled Cody. "London, you tell the viewers what we have planned, and we'll go get the nominations."

"Sounds good," London said as the other three left the stage. "Loyal viewers, we have been working hard finding the best stories out there, and we need your help to decide on the best of the best. And if you're lucky, we might even have some special guests coming. Yay guests!"

A/N: Unlike most of the awards done in the past, the original nominations were chosen by a committee of prominent readers on the site. While we have attempted to find the best stories here, we might have missed some, so in addition to the current nominations, I'll add one story of your choice in the following categories: Adventure, Romance, Tragedy, Comedy, and Drama. Please pm your votes to me, and I'll start reveling the nominations next chapter. Special thanks to Elianna22 for betaing this chapter for me


	2. Chapter 2: Comedy!

"Well, I'm sure you're looking forward to more of me," London said as the camera started rolling once again.

"And if that isn't a good enough reason," Bailey added sarcastically, "our committee finally found their backup copies of the awards nomination."

"I can't begin to tell you how many great awards we have planned," Zack said, grinning excitedly.

"And not just because he can't count that high," his brother added.

"So, when you think about our adventures, what's the first thing to come to mind?" Zack asked the camera.

"That they should be about me?" London asked.

"No!" the rest of the cast yelled.

"That you need to be admitted to a mental institution?" Cody asked.

"No, that's probably the second thing," Zack cut in.

"That you guys are funnier than my brother Ron trying to chase our pig across that frozen lake?" the farm girl suggested.

"Exactly, I think," Zack agreed, nodding. "Anyway, many of you have captured the heart of our adventures through your comical tales."

"The question is, which one is the best?" Cody said.

"Our committee has been hard at work coming up with the answer to this hard decision," Bailey continued.

"And the results are…" Zack announced.

**For Best Embarrassing Moment:**

1. **Just One of the Guys** by Elianna22 – Chapter 12

2. **Just One of the Guys**by Elianna22 – Chapter 15

3. **Repercussions: Part 1** by Elianna22 – Chapter 4

4. **Two Brothers and a Pop Tart** by Lodylodylody – Chapter 23

5. **Last Moments on the SS Tipton** by csiawesomesuitelifelover – Chapter 12

"Wow, those are some interesting circumstances," Zack said, laughing at the various descriptions of events that accompanied the nominations.

"I didn't think they were that good," London huffed.

"Why not, London?" inquired her roommate.

The heiress widened her eyes. "Because they didn't have me in it, duh."

"Did you even read them?"

"Nope."

"Well, ignoring the fact that London has less of an attention span than my brother," Cody pointed out, "there are some other categories to get to."

"In addition to stories that make you feel sorry for the characters, there were those that brought a real smile to your heart," Bailey explained. "These aww moments took a lot of skill to pull off, and will not be easily forgotten."

**For Best Aww Moment:**

1. **Somnium of Nex** by Kulmanari – Chapter 9

2. **Just One of the Guys** by Elianna22 – Chapter 20

3. **I'm Right Here** by CrimsonRose – Chapter 29

4. **Show Me that Smile** by Lodylodylody

5. **Take Care of Me** by Paul Matthews – Chapter 4

"Well now that we've gotten through that sappy stuff," Zack said, with a cringe, "it's time for the dancing bananas."

"I don't remember any of those in the comical scenes," Cody objected.

"Oh, that must have been one of my dreams when Miss T was teaching us about nutrition. Anyway, for the scenes that caused the most laughter." Zack consulted the nominations

**For Best Comical Scene:**

1. **Repercussions: Part 1** by Elianna22 – Chapter 4

2. **Just One of the Guys** by Elianna22 – Chapter 12

3. **Cherry Bombs** by sol invictus

4. **The Truth Comes Out**by woundedhearts and Lodylodylody – Zack/Max in Chapter 3

5. **Separated but Not Apart** by tiger002 – Chapters 17–18

"And then there were those stories that came had us laughing from the beginning to the end," Cody announced.

Zack gave a shrug, "Forget about that fancy plot and stuff – just give me something funny, and you win in my book."

"Well some of these authors did that, while others added a larger plot to their comedy stories." Cody took the list of nominations from his brother. "These are the best comedies that have been found."

**Best Comedy**

1. **Just One of the Guys** by Elianna22

2. **Cherry Bombs** by sol invictus

3. **A Suite Wedding** by Snapplelinz

4. **The Vase Breaks** by Mr. Thumbsup

5. **Suite Life on Deck: Stranded** by cetrix

"Is it just me, or has London disappeared?" Zack asked as he noticed the heiress's lack of trying to claim the limelight.

"Oh, you forgot?" the farm girl asked.

"I was supposed to remember something?"

"Yea, that London was interviewing our first special guest," Bailey reminded him

"Well I guess that means we are done for this segment, so we'll send it over to London." Zack waved a hand toward London, who sashayed back on stage.

"Greetings, people who are poorer than me. I'm here with our first nomination for best Suite Life Author, Elianna22." She turned from the camera and faced her guest. "It's so good to have you here Ellie. Air kiss!"

Ellie flashed a nervous but happy smile and returned the air kisses. "Thanks, London. It's great to meet you in person."

"So, important things first, your outfit is amazing. Please tell the audience where you got that amazing outfit." The heiress gestured at Ellie's dress, a fifties-style silk gown in a stunning shade of burnt orange.

"Why, thank you, London." Ellie pirouetted for the crowd. "My dress is hand-made by Tisiano Gusti, a Toronto designer. He rocks."

After the applause had faded, London proceeded with the interview. "Well, I'm sure all your fans are wondering what inspires you."

"Aside from the Suite Life series, of course, I'm very inspired by movies, other TV shows and songs. I always listen to music while writing and almost every chapter becomes influenced by a particular song. "

"I see, and what made you want to write for the Suite Life fandom?"

"I've been watching the series for a couple of years and all the characters are easy to relate to. I do have a writing partner, known as the Creative Partner/Boyfriend, and one day while watching the "Suite Life Sets Sail" episode, we found ourselves wondering what might have happened if Bailey here hadn't fallen into the hot tub on the first day at Seven Seas High. So we decided to write a story about it."

"Well, with someone like me on the show, I'm sure it's obvious, but who is your favorite character?" London waited expectantly.

The author paused thoughtfully for several moments. At last she answered, "I just can't pick a favourite. I love all you guys. But I do really like writing about you, London. You're quite a complex character."

"I knew it!" London beamed a dazzling smile. "I mean how could someone not like me?"

"It would be impossible," Ellie agreed.

"Your current fic, _Repercussions: Part 2_, has been described as much darker than your other fics," continued London. "Why did you go with this change?"

"That's a good question," Ellie responded. "I definitely had some doubts about writing a darker story for a change, but the plot felt like a really exciting idea. As soon as I started doing the research, I knew that I couldn't gloss over the deeper emotions and issues related to this story. Most of all I wanted to acknowledge the brave people who join our armed forces."

"Is there anything you can tell us about your future projects?" London asked eagerly.

"I'm trying to work on some one-shots, and possibly another sequel to _Just One of the Guys_ that will take place between Parts 1 and 2 of _Repercussions_. I'm also collaborating with fellow Suite Life author woundedhearts on an Old West adventure starring the gang."

"Why do you think you have been have been so successful with your fics?

"I like to keep readers guessing," said Ellie, grinning slyly. "I also like to create scenarios where readers feel compassion and sympathy for characters, even if they don't agree with the characters' actions or were expecting something different to happen. It's all about surprising readers."

"Is there any advice you'd be willing to give to the other authors on the site?" London asked then.

"Read as much as you can and keep a thesaurus handy," Ellie answered. "In my experience, creating a story outline is also a big help. And Wikipedia is an awesome research tool."

London shook the author's hand and said, "Thanks you so much for your time, Ellie, and I wish you the best of luck in this contest."

**A/N: Thanks for reading, and please vote for your favorites here. Please submit your votes in a pm to me; you may vote for the top 2 in each category. Also, you may not vote for yourself in this round. Thanks.**


	3. Chapter 3: Romance!

**Chapter 3: Romance**

"Now that we have seen the best comedy stories out there," Bailey announced as the camera focused on her, "it's time for some of my favorites."

"Action fics?" Zack asked.

"Not this time," Bailey told him.

"Stories about me?" London asked eagerly.

"Actually, some of these stories _do_ involve you," noted Bailey.

The heiress exclaimed "Yay me!" and clapped her hands.

"Can I just go take a nap for this part?" Zack complained, looking extremely bored.

"Come on, Zack, can't you at least try to appreciate all the hard work the authors put into these stories?" Cody said with a disapproving shake of his head.

"You're trying to get on Bailey's good side, aren't you?" chided the older twin.

"Maybe…" Cody trailed off, his face turning a light shade of pink.

"Anyway, Zack," Bailey said, attempting to regain control of the conversation. "This first category is about you."

**For Best Zack Pairing:**

1. **Just One of the Guys** by Elianna22 – Zack & Bailey

2. **The Last Moments of the SS Tipton** by csiawesomesuitelifelover – Zack & Vivian

3. **Two Brothers and a Pop Tart** by Lodylodylody – Zack & London

4. **When the Wind Blows** by Paul Matthews – Zack & London

5. **You Never Cease To Amaze Me** by rollergirl248 – Zack & Maddie

Smirking, Zack said, "I guess some of those girls _are_ pretty hot."

"Come on, can't you think of anything beyond looks?" his brother asked.

Zack rolled his eyes. "Well, when you see a girl, it's kind of hard not to notice how they look."

"Cody's just jealous," London added. "But don't worry, people found some good matches for you too!"

**For Best Cody Pairing:**

1. **Two Brothers and a Pop Tart** by Lodylodylody – Cody & Mikayla

2.** Being Herself** by Lodylodylody – Cody & London

3.** Consequences!** by woundedhearts – Cody & Barbara

4.** Somnium of Nex** by Kulmanari – Cody & Bailey

5.** Glass Half Empty** by RockerChick08 – London & Cody

"However, we weren't the only ones you wrote romance about," Cody reminded the group.

"Yea, just as you should, you wrote some stories about me too," London spoke up. "I must say, some of those guys were h-a-w-t hot."

"Could you _be_ anymore superficial?" Bailey asked her.

"Why thank you, my facial is super." The heiress beamed.

"Anyway, on to the non-twin pairings," the farm girl continued.

**For Best Other Pairing:**

1. **Agent L** by Snapplelinz – London & Lance

2. **Just One of the Guys/Repercussions series** by Elianna22 – Woody & Addison

3. **Show Me that Smile** by Lodylodylody – Robby Ray Stewart & Grace

4. **Being Herself** by Lodylodylody – Carey & Esteban

5. **Just One of the Guys/Repercussions series** by Elianna22 – Mr. Moseby & Ms. Tutweiller

"And you guys know what all good romance stories have to have," London chimed in.

"Of course, there is the moment when the two characters realize they love each other." Bailey sighed and clasped her hands.

"And then," the two girls said in unison, "they … kiss!"

They were interrupted by sounds of snoring from the older twin. Bailey shot a glare at Cody who started on the impossible task of waking his brother up.

**For Best Kiss:**

1. **Just One of the Guys** by Elianna22 – Zack & Bailey, Chapter 18

2. **The Truth Comes Out** by woundedhearts and Lodylodylody – Zack & Max, Chapters 3–4

3. **Two Brothers and a Pop Tart** by Lodylodylody – Cody & Mikayla, Chapter 10

4. **Two Brothers and a Pop Tart** by Lodylodylody – Zack & London, Chapters 12–13

5.** Agent L** by Snapplelinz – London & Lance, Chapter 8

"Out of all of these stories, there were those that came together for something amazing," Bailey continued. "From beginning to end they captured the heart of romance. The authors nominated here worked hard to craft these excellent romance stories, some of which could rival the best novels out there. There was some stiff competition here and this category led to our first tie. Here are the best romances…"

**For Best Romance:**

1. **Just One of the Guys** by Elianna22

2. **Two Brothers and a Pop Tart** by Lodylodylody

3. **500 Days of Bailey** by Xavier2Sxc

4. **A Suite Life Wedding** by Snapplelinz

5. **Home is Where the Heart Is** by dark elements10

6. **The Last Moments of the SS Tipton** by csiawsomesuitelifelover

"Great job people," London said, trying to recapture the limelight, "and I've just received word that our next special guest has arrived."

"Oh, you mean our second nomination for best author?" Bailey inquired.

"Yep," confirmed the heiress.

Bailey ran off and soon returned to the stage holding hands with the guest.

"It's so good to finally meet you!" Bailey said excitedly.

"Really?" responded the author.

"Yea, Lody, your romance fics are really good," enthused the farmgirl

"Thanks."

"Anyway, how long have you been writing for?" Bailey asked.

"Well, I've enjoyed making up stories for my own amusement since middle school," Lody explained. "But my first official stab at fanfic came in 2008 ... with a Suite Life fic, naturally. "

"Well, what do you enjoy most about writing?"

"Playing with characters. Putting them in situations and seeing how they'll react...and exploring aspects of their personalities in ways that the television writers can't," the author elaborated.

"It sounds like a lot of fun, but what inspires your ideas?"

"Hmm..." Lody paused thoughtfully. "I guess that would just be my affection for the various characters from the shows."

"What has made you want to write Suite Life fanfiction?" queried Bailey.

"I love the freaking characters. Not sure why they appeal to me so much ... but they do."

Bailey asked her next question: "If for one day you could switch places with any of the characters, who would it be?"

The author laughed. "Would I still have my own mind and personality? If so ... I could have so much fun with London's money. Then again ... this is only for one day ... so I could have fun being ANY of the characters."

"I know how much fun it would be to have London's money," Bailey agreed. "Anyway, one of your most successful stories is _Two Brothers and a Pop Tart_, and I'd love to know what inspired it."

"Short answer: Selena Gomez. :) Full answer: I love taking minor characters and seeing how they could come more into the spotlight. I saw an opportunity in this case to put characters in new situations and to play with perceptions. What the audience knows is sometimes VASTLY different from what the characters know. So what would happen if Zack and Cody met Mikayla while she was in trouble and in need of friends? Would they be against her because she's been a petty little ... witch ... to Hannah Montana? Of course not. Why would they even KNOW about that? And once they did meet ... lots of things and situations could change and go off in new directions. I'm glad people seemed to like it."

"You've written a number of other romances too, but which of your fics is your favorite and why?"

"One of my favorite authors always answers this question the same way: How can you ask a parent to rank his children? :) Truthfully, there are times upon finishing a story when I will be very pleased at how things have gone and honestly feel, at that moment, that I've just done my favorite story. In hindsight, it's hard to judge. _Two Brothers and a Pop Tart_ was the biggest thing I've ever done. _Being Herself_ was the first "ambitious" story I ever tried. But I also have some satisfaction in my shorter fics. _The Smarterest_, _What Zack Never Does_ and _Show Me that Smile_ are all deserving of some love, I think. Perhaps more love than they've gotten? But then again ... I'd like _Being Herself_ and _Two Brothers_ to get more attention too. :) Also ... co-writing _The Truth Comes Out_ with woundedhearts has been great fun."

"I see how it could be really hard to choose," concurred Bailey. "Anyway, if you could write yourself into the show, what would you do?"

"Hmm ... myself as I am or a younger version of myself to go to school with Zack and Cody? Either way I could have fun. I love the adult characters just as much as the teens. I'd love hanging out with Carey or Tutweiller as much as I would with Bailey and Maddie. I sort of favor the hotel over the ship ... but the ship features some new characters I love and plenty of possibilities.

"You know ... I'll just go with me being a contemporary of the teens, all of us at a big party ... and we play a game of Truth or Dare. :)"

"Could you tell us of some of your plans for future works? Don't worry; I'll keep it a secret," Bailey assured the author.

"Unfortunately I haven't been feeling well lately, but hope to get back to writing more soon. I have quite a lot of stories in the planning stages."

"I look forward to reading them. What do you feel has made your stories so successful?" Bailey asked then.

"Well ... readers. I'm sometimes shocked that people actually enjoy what I write. I love hearing the feedback though."

"A lot of people have thought about writing for the site, but are afraid to submit what they write. Do you have any advice for them?"

The author replied, "There's nothing to fear! Just write under a penname and throw your stuff out there. (Deep dark secret ... my name isn't actually Lodylodylody.) :P The feedback you get can be very enlightening. You can get to know other people who can help you improve your writing, and be great fun to chat with."

"Thanks so much for taking the time to come," said the farm girl with a charming smile.

"No problem, I'm honored you choose to ask me here," concluded Lody graciously.

**Thanks again for reading and once again pm me your two favorites in each category. Congratulations to all who were nominated, this category had a lot of competition. You can still vote for best comedy and I'm working on getting all the nominations in my forum and community.**


	4. Chapter 4: Drama and Tragedy!

**Chapter 4: Drama and Tragedy**

"Well, we've had comedy and romance, what do you think should come next?" Cody asked the other hosts.

"Stories involving me!" said London predictably.

"That's not one of the categories," Bailey informed her.

"What kind of lame committee do we have then?" the heiress grumbled.

"One that realizes there is more to the show than just you," the farm girl said pointedly.

"Let's take a look at some of the more serious stories that have been written," Cody announced. "This segment will feature the best of dramas and tragedies."

The other hosts agreed and Cody passed around a copy of the nominations.

"First of all," said Zack, "are the stories that show no matter how much my brother annoys me..."

"Or how many strange things my brother gets me involved into..." Cody continued

"We still love each other," the twins proclaimed in unison.

**For Best Brotherly Love:**

1. **Older Brothers** by Reneyyy'Sprouse'

2. **Cody's Wish** by Kulmanari

3. **Basketballs and Smashed Heads** by Reneyyy'Sprouse'

4. **I'm Right Here** by CRIMS0N HAZE

5. **Separated, but not Apart** by tiger002

"Through many of your stories, you showed how the characters changed," said Bailey. "They grew through the challenges thrown at them."

"Portraying how the characters change through the events they've faced takes a lot of skill," Cody noted.

"And a lot of work," Zack added. "More than I'd be willing to do."

"And here are the stories that did this the best," Bailey announced.

**For Best Character Development:**

1. Cody in **Chaos Demon** **series** by Kulmanari

2. Mikayla in **Two Brothers and a Pop Tart** by Lodylodylody

3. Bailey in **Just One of the Guys** by Elianna22

4. Zack in **I'm Right Here** by CRIMS0N HAZE

5. Zack and Cody in **Separated, but not Apart** by tiger002

"You authors are evil with some of the things you put us through," Zack said.

"Some of these experiences were brutal," agreed Bailey, "but you pulled them off well."

"Now for the nominations for best traumatic experience," Cody revealed.

**For Best Traumatic Experience:**

1. Zack in **In This Memory** by Kulmanari

2. Cody in **Somnium of Nex** by Kulmanari

3. Zack and Cody in **I'm Right Here** by CRIMS0N HAZE

4. Zack and Cody in **Separated, but not Apart** by tiger002

5. Cody in **Cody's Wish** by Kulmanari

As the nominations were read, London wiped away tears with a tissue.

"Are these sad stories making you cry?" Bailey asked sympathetically.

"No," the heiress said through tears, "I broke a nail."

"Moving on from that," Zack said, with an eye roll, "one of the most brutal experiences anyone can go through is death."

"And those who are left to live without the one they loved can be devastated, too," said Bailey.

"You authors didn't hold back though, and these are the best character deaths," Cody announced.

**For Best Death:**_(Note: major spoilers for the following stories)_

1. **In This Memory** by Kulmanari – Chapter 12

2. **Truth Seeker** by Kulmanari – Chapter 1

3. **Somnium of Nex** by Kulmanari – Chapter 9

4. **Separated, but not Apart** by tiger002 – Chapter 14,24

5. **The Martin Triplets** by MorbidMaestro – Chapter 17

"You get the feeling Kulmanari doesn't like you two?" Bailey asked the twins, noticing the primary author in the last category.

"Well, at least he knew better than to kill me," London said haughtily.

"Back to the topic at hand," said Cody. "You authors showed how we are human, and sometimes can't take everything life throws at us."

"It's sometimes too much and we fall apart. Man, this segment is getting depressing," Zack sighed as he read the nominations.

**For Best Emotional Breakdown:**

1. Zack in **In This Memory** by Kulmanari – Chapter 13

2. Cody in **Somnium of Nex** by Kulmanari – Chapter 7

3. Zack in **Moment of Weakness** by Hurricane13 (co-written with cetrix) – Chapter 10

4. Zack in **I'm Right Here** by CRIMS0N HAZE – Chapter 29

5. Cody in **Friendship Survives** **Everything** by ItsASuiteLife – Chapter 36

"And even I have to admit," Zack said, "there were moments in these stories where I almost cried."

"Almost?" his brother laughed. "More like going through an entire box of tissues on a single chapter."

"Yea, don't pretend you weren't weeping during these stories."

"At least I'm not afraid to admit these stories touched my heart."

"Alright guys, we're here to do an awards show, not argue," Bailey interjected, then announced the next category.

**For Best Tear Jerker:**

1. **In This Memory** by Kulmanari

2. **Cody's Wish** by Kulmanari

3. **Somnium of Nex** by Kulmanari

4.**I'm Right Here** by CRIMS0N HAZE

5. **Letting Go** by woundedhearts

"One of the greatest mysteries of the human mind is how to the process events like this," Bailey said.

"There is one technique that some authors use to get further into characters' heads," Cody said.

"Eww, why would they want get into our heads?" London commented distastefully.

"They weren't being literal," Zack explained to the heiress.

"They say dreams are a window to the soul, and the authors have found a variety of different ways to incorporate dreams into these stories," Bailey said, "And these are the best."

**For Best Dream Sequence:**

1. Cody in **Chaos Demons** by Kulmanari – Chapters 1–2

2. Cody in **Somnium of Nex** by Kulmanari – all Chapters

3. Cody in **Separated, but not Apart** by tiger002 – Chapter 10

4. Barbara in **Consequences** by woundedhearts – Chapter 15

5. Zack and Cody in **I'm Right Here** by CRIMS0N HAZE – Chapters 28–29

"Dreams can be a lot of fun," Zack remarked, "Especially during class."

His brother sighed at this and continued to the next topic. "Some of the authors have come up with a controversial idea," he began, "one that our committee was unsure should even be included in these awards. Romance between my brother and me seems to be either loved or hated among the readers."

"Due to this, the committee decided that we would have a category for best twincest story, but this is the only category where these stories would be eligible," Bailey said.

"I can't really see how this would work," Zack commented, shaking his head. "Sure, I could see how Cody would be that desperate, but I know I could do better than that dork."

"I'm right here you know," Cody retorted.

Zack nodded. "Yep."

"Anyway," Bailey said, taking control again, "the nominations are..."

**For Best Twincest Story:**

1. **Forbidden** by Everlasting76

2. **Give Me a Reason to Live** by Animekeepsbreathing

3. **Rules Meant to be Broken** by Aaliyah-Babygurl

4. **Break the Law** by Cocoalata

5. **Cheer Me On** by Cola Zitron

"And now we near the end of this set of nominations," Zack said.

"Some of the best stories out there awed us simply through the telling of the story," Bailey said, "These stories were so powerful that they grabbed the reader right from the start. The writers brought the best skills they had in crafting these works of art, and this had the stiffest competition of all the categories. These are the best dramas."

**For Best Drama:**

1. **I'm Right Here** by CRIMS0N HAZE

2.**Older Brothers** by Reneyyy'Sprouse'

3. **Say What You Mean** by Suspension

4. **Consequences** by Woundedhearts

5. **The Smarterest** by Lodylodylody

6. **Moment of Weakness** by The Hurricane 13 (co-written with cetrix)

7. **Repercussions: Part 2** by Elianna22

"And even with being based on a comical show like ours," Bailey said, "not all stories had a happy ending. These are the best tragedies."

**For Best Tragedy:**

1. **In This Memory** by Kulmanari

2. **Cody's Wish** by Kulmanari

3. **Somnium of Nex** by Kulmanari

4. **Letting Go** by woundedhearts

5. **Friendship Survives Everything** by ItsASuiteLife

"And that concludes are awards for this round," Zack said," and now would the three of you please get off the stage."

"Are you kicking me of my own stage?" London exclaimed.

"Yes, there is someone more important than you coming up here."

"I'd like to meet this person who could possibly be more important than me." London huffed, refusing to move.

"Come on," Bailey and Cody said as they dragged the heiress off the stage.

Zack turned to the audience. "Now would the next nominee for best author, woundedhearts, please join me on the stage?"

The author walked up the steps, in awe of the lights all around the stage. "Hi," she said nervously.

"Have a seat here," Zack said, pulling a chair out for her, which she took a seat in.

"It's so good to have you here." Zack looked down at the list of questions. "Your outfit is amazing, where did you get it?" He paused for a second, "Apparently London added a couple questions."

"This is actually a Balenciaga original," said the author. "I like more of a classic look." She swished her royal blue ankle-length dress that had a criss-cross strap across the back shoulder blades, and a v-cut front.

Zack watched admiringly. "Where do you get inspiration for your stories?" he asked.

"I choose to believe I have this little muse sitting on my shoulder that whispers ideas into my ear ... Smiles! Also life experiences can be quite an inspiration, but they don't necessarily have to be your own. I get a lot of ideas from friends and family. I'm also a care provider for the elderly, and I find that my clients are a well of knowledge. They've seen things and done things I can only imagine."

"What made you want to write for the suite life fandom?"

"I loved the sitcom from the get go," explained woundedhearts. "The family dynamic has always been one of my favorite subjects to write about, whether the members are blood related or not. I enjoy watching this show because characters genuinely care about one another. I think despite their downfalls, they take care of and love each other. And in today's market you don't find that as much anymore. I grew up on family sitcoms and I am saddened by the fact that they seem to be a dying breed, that's truly a shame."

"If you could have dinner with any character from the show, who would it be?"

"That is an interesting question. I'd love to have dinner with any one of you. But seeing as I have to choose, I'd pick Bob and maybe Woody, because I just think their personalities would mesh well together, which should make for a fun-filled evening. Strange, huh?"

Zack laughed, then continued to the next question. "Many of your stories have been praised for having great emotional impact, almost making even me cry. What made you want to write stories like this?"

"I've always been drawn to stories like this one. I think the more you can relate to a character the closer you come to understanding their situation. I honestly believe that humans think primarily with their hearts. And if you can get into the heart of a reader, it's pretty special, because it's not that easy to do. These characters aren't just names on a page – the reader needs to connect to them on some emotional level before they can become real. If you don't make that connection right away or as soon as the plot allows, you lose that connection and you as an author have failed your fans."

"Do you have any advice for writers who want to convey similar emotional impact?"

"Listen with your heart; try to find the meaning behind the words. I worked in retail for a number of years and there's a saying that always stuck with me: "It's not the customer, it's the situation." You need to listen beyond the words to what is actually being said, and I think this rings true in anything ... writing included."

"Is there anything you can tell us about your future projects?" Zack asked curiously.

"Ideas are always popping into my head, and so I keep a journal handy just to jot them down. So I am sure you'll read a lot more from me in the near future. But before I begin anything else, I want to finish the projects I'm working on now. I've given myself a deadline and should have them completed by the end of the year.

"But I will say this, if all goes well, then Elianna and I can begin working on this really great idea for an old-fashioned Western adventure starring – you guessed it – our favorite Suite Life characters. We've started on the outline and are brainstorming and researching some fun facts to input, so definitely look out for that one." Woundedhearts waved to her friend in the audience and Elianna walked up to the stage.

"It will be a tale of heroes, bandits and gunslingers," she added enthusiastically. "The working title is _Go West, Young Man_."

"So lots of explosions and shoot-outs?" asked Zack with an excited gleam in his eyes.

"Exactly," chimed the two authors.

"Well, I look forward to reading it," Zack said as Elianna returned to her seat. "On to the next question: Why do you think your fics have been so successful with your readers?"

"I think because I give the characters a depth and emotion that they don't normally see on the series. There are many different layers to a character and unfortunately as much as I love watching the show, the writers don't always seem to want to explore those layers."

"What do you think your greatest strength as a writer is?" Zack inquired.

"I was told by another author that writing the relationship between the twins is one of my strengths, and I find that to be a great compliment. Because that means she was able to connect to the story. If the characters come alive and jump off the page at the reader, then I think I've done my job. Because it means that they truly care about these individuals."

"What about your greatest weakness?"

"Besides getting the stories out in a timely manner, hmmm … probably the fact that no matter what I have written it just seems to start out at a slow pace. I don't know why that is, and I've tried to figure it out on several occasions. But the beginning has never been my strong point."

"How long have you been writing for?"

"I've been writing stories since the second grade. Mind you, looking back they weren't very good. But that didn't matter because it was something fun to do, and someplace I could always escape to, when I didn't feel like things were going my way. I didn't receive my first journal until I was twelve. It was given to me by my mother, who wanted me to write down my ideas. Well, the rest is history, and if I must say, I have quite an impressive collection."

"What is your favorite fic that you wrote?"

"_Consequences_ holds a special place in my heart because it's something I have really worked hard to develop. The story has deepened into something more meaningful, and poignant. It's no longer just about Barbara's pregnancy but her personal struggles with her family situation, and learning to trust in those that care about her.

"But I do have to add I am really proud of _Letting Go_, and I think looking back that this will be one of my favorites because it has a deeper meaning, and it shows you that if you listen with your heart, you'll realize that no matter how broken a relationship may seem, if there's love and trust, there's always hope that it can be mended ... with a little help, that is.

"I also enjoyed writing _The Truth Comes Out_ with Lodylodylody, because for once it gave me the opportunity to bounce ideas off of someone else. This made the entire experience a fun one. I was able to incorporate a lot of emotions into the tale and still be able to have Lody's expertise thrown in the mix."

"What made you want to write these stories?"

"That's a good question, and I don't know if I have a definite answer. With _Consequences_ I wanted to show Barbara in a good light, because let's face it I think the show did her a great injustice. I also wanted to give her a back story, and a possible reason as to why she sometimes acted the way she did. I figured with a little understanding she could really grow and become more than just a pain in the neck.

"As for _Letting Go_, I was listening to an old Alabama disc I have, and a song I hadn't listened to in a very long time began to play. I immediately thought about a story I had watched on the news the night before about a soldier who would never return. I began to wonder what it would be like if one of the twins wanted to join the military, and what the one left behind must be feeling. And so this story was born."

Zack consulted the interview notes again. "Do you have any advice for newer writers on the site?"

"Writing is a work in progress – it takes a lot of heart and hard work. But if you put enough of yourself into a story, you'll always be rewarded. It doesn't matter if one person or one hundred people have read it, and you know it will always be something you could feel proud of, because it was something written from the heart.

"Anything else you want to add?"

"I want to send a shout out to all my reader's and reviewers. Many thanks for all your thoughts! And the time spent in front of your computers reading my words is greatly appreciated. I am truly touched by this nomination and feel honored to be grouped amongst these great authors. Many smiles, and as always, take care!"


	5. Chapter 5: Adventure!

**Chapter 5: Adventure and Fantasy**

"And now, the time for the stories all of you, especially my brother, have been waiting for," Cody announced.

"No, not stories about you London," said Bailey instinctively.

"Don't worry, I understand now," London explained. "The committee just has bad taste in stories."

"Wait, does this mean what I think it does?" Zack asked eagerly.

"Yep, these are the best adventure and fantasy stories," responded Cody.

"And what good is an adventure story without someone for the heroes to fight?" Zack asked, slamming his fist into an open palm.

"You know, a story doesn't have to be an adventure story to have a good villain," Bailey pointed out.

"How could a story have a good villain without an epic adventure built around him or her?" demanded the older twin.

"If you children would stop arguing," Cody said, stepping between the two, "these are the best villains…"

**For Best Villain:**

1. John in **Older Brothers** by Reneyyy'Sprouse'  
2. John in **Separated, but not Apart** by Tiger002  
3. Howard Brownstein in **Consequences** by Woundedhearts  
4. Jayden in **Camisado** by ravenxeyes  
5. Miles in **The Martin Triplets** by MorbidMaestro

"It seems like in every story there is one character to which you'd like to see all kinds of bad things happen," Cody said.

"Just like my fifth step mom," London said with an evil grin.

"What happened to her?" Bailey asked.

The heiress' smile widened. "Let's just say, no government has any record of her existence as she lives out a humble life in the mines of Peru."

"So, on to the people that need to have their left leg deep-fried, while their other leg is slowly dipped in hot lava, and shards of glass are shoved into their arms," Zack said.

**For Best Hated Character:**

1. Josh in **The Last Moments of the SS Tipton** by csiawesomesuitelifelover  
2. John in **Older Brothers** by Reneyyy'Sprouse'  
3. John in **Separated but not Apart** by Tiger002  
4. Laurent Savoy in **Agent L** by Snapplelinz  
5. Howard Brownstein in **Consequences** by Woundedhearts  
6. Jayden in **Camisado** by ravenxeyes

"And now for the heart of any adventure story," Zack continued, rubbing his hands.

"The extensive emotional analyses that show the corrupted motives of the villain, or the doubt the hero faces?" Cody guessed.

"Not even close," answered Zack. "Those are only used to bring the heart to fruition. I'm talking about the epic clash of good and evil in a battle that will decide the fate of the universe."

"Oh, you mean when the massive armies clash to fight over the wondrous prize that is me?" London asked.

"No, I'm talking about when the forces clash in such a way that everything for 10 square miles is obliterated."

"I'm just going to read the nominations before Zack loses what's left of his sanity," Cody said hurriedly.

**For Best Battle:**

1. **Chaos Demons** by Kulmanari – Chapters 9–11  
2. **Reflections in Time** by Kulmanari – Chapter 11  
3. **Agent L** by Snapplelinz – Chapter 10  
4. **Separated, but not Apart** by Tiger002 – Chapter 23–25  
5. **End of Normalcy** by Tiger002 – Chapter 8

"There is also one other trait of adventure writers I admire," remarked Zack.

London opened her mouth, but a glare from the rest of the hosts kept her quiet.

"Well, it must be something involving explosions or true evil," Cody said, knowing full well how his brother's mind worked.

Zack shook his head over this sarcasm. "What is more evil than leaving readers on a good cliffhanger?" he asked. "And these are the authors that have done it best."

**For Best Cliffhanger:**

1. **Just One of the Guys** by Elianna22 – Chapter 16  
2. **Letting Go** by Woundedhearts – Chapter 3  
3. **Somnium of Nex** by Kulmanari – Chapter 7  
4. **Separated, but not Apart** by Tiger002 – Chapter 10  
5. **I'm Right Here** by CRIMS0N HAZE – Chapter 28  
6. **Words Can Hurt in More Ways Than One** by hutchshottie – Chapter 17

"I must say, I admire authors who can take something as simple as our lives, and turn it into a fantasy," Bailey said.

Cody nodded in agreement. "Yea, these authors merely used our characters and lives as a basis for their story, and changed them in ways I didn't think possible. Here are the best…"

**For Best AU/Fantasy:**  
1. **The Chaos Demons** by Kulmanari  
2. **Truth Seeker** by Kulmanari  
3. **Separated, but not Apart** by Tiger002  
4. **Agent L** by Snapplelinz  
5. **Reflections in Time** by Kulmanari

"And let's not forget the stories that carry an action-packed adventure from beginning to end," Zack said, as he revealed the final nominations for this segment.

**For Best Action/Adventure:**

1. **Agent L** by Snapplelinz  
2. **The Chaos Demons** by Kulmanari  
3. **A Wolf's Cry** by mikromb13  
4. **Separated, but not Apart** by Tiger002  
5. **Truth Seeker** by Kulmanari

"Now that we've seen the best action stories, it's time to meet one of the premier adventure writers," Cody said as the other authors left the stage and the next author joined him. "Welcome to the show, Tiger002."

"Thanks Cody," Tiger said, trying to shield his eyes from the spotlights. "I have to say, I'm honored to be up here."

"I'd say you've earned it. Anyway, how long have you been writing for?" Cody asked.

"I've only been writing like this for about a year and a half. My mind has been crafting adventure stories for far longer though, since at least the fourth grade, but I never wrote them down."

"What inspired you to start writing then?"

"Well, after discovering the site, and seeing what people could do, I decided to give it a try, and it sucked horribly," Tiger said with a chuckle, "Even so, that was the start of my learning to write adventure stories. I kept getting more ideas that I wrote down, slowly learning from my mistakes and getting better."

"Where do you get your different ideas?"

"I normally get a quick glance at a scene in either a dream or a random picture that pops into my mind, and then I take the story from there."

"You've given a lot of your characters supernatural powers, but if you could have one of them, what would it be?"

"I'd have to say Trey's power. After all, the power to control space and time like that would be awesome. If I'm late for work, I can run there in a matter of seconds. If I'm in a boring class, it ends in five seconds. Who wouldn't want that power?"

"Nearly everything you've written has been fantasy- and adventure-based," Cody noted. What made you choose these stories, and would you consider doing something else?"

"Since fanfiction began flowing through my head, it's all been based on adventure fandoms. So not surprisingly, that's what I started writing. Nothing against other genres, but I find they pale in comparison to a good adventure story. I've done a couple side projects in other genres, including my submission to Woundedhearts' Holiday Collection and an attempt at romance in another fandom."

"If you could take the Suite Life world and turn it into a video game, what would it be like?"

"Well, as a huge video game fan, I know what would work. It would have to be an adventure game, along the lines of _Separated_. Just imagine being able to see and fight your way through the events of _Separated_. I truly believe a good video game can tell a story far better than any book or movie."

"You got that right, dude!" Zack exclaimed from the audience.

"_Separated_ has been described as one of the most unique fics on the site," Cody continued, shooting a stern look at Zack. "Where did you get the idea for it?"

"I honestly think it was a gift from God. One night I had a dream so vivid and powerful, I knew I had to do something with it. That day I started writing it, not knowing where it could go, and was amazed by the success. I had part of three chapters planned, and had no idea if I'd be able to continue it."

"Which of us do you find easier to write for?" Cody inquired.

"Ordinarily Cody is easier to write, but with _Separated_, Zack was because I had no idea how to get into Cody's head after the events he had been through."

"Well, since we are talking in third person now," Cody said, "which Suite Life episode is Tiger's favorite?"

"_Scary Movie_ by far. With comedy like you wrapped up in bubble wrap, London wraslin' a cash register and Zack redecorating the lobby, I laughed so hard I scared my dog."

"Scaring Zack like that never gets old," agreed Cody.

"And that just gave me an idea for one of my holiday stories."

"Do I want to know?" the younger twin questioned.

"Don't worry about it…" Tiger said with an evil grin on his face.

"Moving on from that, how do you write your stories so realistically when the backdrop is entirely fantasy?"

"No matter what setting, I have to get into the characters' minds. Many of my stories involve normal characters who are somehow thrown into great adventures, so I ask myself what I would be thinking if my life changed like that."

"You've killed a number of us in your stories. Do you find this hard to do?"

"At times I did, but killing Cody in _Separated_ wasn't that hard to do, considering I knew I'd bring him back in a couple chapters. The hardest death for me to write was Anton's because he was an innocent victim caught up in the horrible situation."

"So you feel worse killing someone you made up than me?"

"Yep," said the author.

"No matter what you write, you always leave a part of you within the story. Do you find it hard to draw an emotional line between yourself and your writing?"

Tiger chuckled slightly at the question. "Emotional stories like _Separated_ really get to me if I want to write them well. I can't go into work, or class after writing that kind of story, or I will be depressed and or distracted. Neither of which is a good thing."

"Which of your stories is your favorite?"

"Out of my Suite Life ones, easily _Separated_. I loved how deeply I was able to go while writing it. I think I pulled all the necessary parts together to come up with a great story there. It's the reason I'm up here after all."

"What types of stories do you enjoy reading?"

"Mostly the same type I write. I love adventure stories, although random comedy is really good too. My least favorite would be romance, but that doesn't mean I still won't like a really good one I come across."

"If you could combine any characters from any of your stories and include them in one big battle, who would it be and why?"

A smile beamed across Tiger's face. "I love the way you think! Let's start with the twins as dimensionals, and toss in the elemental siblings from _End of Normalcy_. Then I'd need David and Trey, along with Hakalahs. I'd take some of my OCs from other fandoms such as Alto Selena and Xylek, and Kratos from Tales of Symphonia. That would be fun! In fact, I might have to try writing that!"

"What do you feel is your greatest weakness as an author?"

"How could someone as great as me have a weakness?" Tiger gave a self-deprecating laugh. "Seriously though, getting description right in a story is hard for me. Often I focus so much on the plot that I lose sight of the characters. They become only tools to advance the story, instead of characters that fully experience what happens around them."

"What about your greatest strength?"

"I love coming up with unique plots for my stories. I hate doing the same thing that everyone else is writing, so I strive to make them stand out with unexpected twists and turns. I've been told that I'm good with battles too, but that's something I need to continue improving on."

"Speaking of battles, do you have any advice for writers who wish to do the same?

"Don't rush through them. They can be the pinnacle of an adventure story. Take things frame by frame. Show each blow as it happens. Get into the minds of the characters; show their fear, their hopes, their pain. Are they hurting seeing their opponent suffering, or are they enjoying their foes' pain?"

"Is there anything you can tell us about your future projects?"

"Well, I guess I can tell you people a little bit, just as long as Zack doesn't sell my secrets on the Internet." Tiger glanced into the audience, seeking the older twin.

"Well it's going there anyway, so I doubt he'd make much money off it," Cody reassured him.

"Point taken. Anyway, some of you may have noticed I haven't been writing as much for Suite Life recently, and there is a reason for that. I've wanted to give this fandom a little bit of a break, so that when I come back, I will be ready to write something great," Tiger said, with another smile spreading across his face. "For the past few months, I've been planning a sequel to _Separated, but not Apart_ called _Domino Effect_.

"Near the end, I left several questions open ended, including what happened in the battle with David, Trey and Hakalahs. You will soon find out why I couldn't answer them. The working summary is "A choice that seemed so easy can have dire consequences. The twins will learn that lesson the hard way as they meet new friends and foes in the sequel to _Separated but not Apart_."

"It sounds like you're getting excited about that," Cody commented.

"Believe me, I am. I have a movie-style trailer chapter which I plan to release soon to get the readers interested."

"Do you have any advice for new writers out there?"

"Don't be afraid of failure. If you have an idea, go with it. Maybe it will suck – my early fics did – but you learn so much by writing. Maybe you don't know where the story will go yet, try it anyway. Out of all the adventure fics I've written, only two of them I've finished. The Suite Life fandom is one of the most supportive I've seen, and so many great authors want to see you succeed."

"Anything else you'd like to add?"

"Most of the authors have ended this with a shout out to their readers, and with good reason. Those of you who read and review have been the reason I've been so successful. The writing skills I've developed here have helped me with some college classes. I'm glad you've enjoyed my strange ideas so much."

**A/N: Thanks as always for reading, and don't forget to vote. There is still one more chapter of nominations and the reveal of our final favorite author, so stay tuned!**


	6. Chapter 6: Miscellaneous Categories

**Chapter 6: Miscellaneous Categories**

"Greetings once again, poor people," exclaimed the heiress gleefully. "It's time for everyone's favorite web show about me, _Yay Me! Starring London Tipton_. I'm your host, London Tipton!"

Bailey coughed loudly beside London, who was too captivated by the limelight to notice.

"Um, London." Cody interrupted her speech. "Remember we are your co-hosts for this, too."

"Yea, but I'm afraid that if Chelsea finds out I had to work with poor people, it will get all over the web." The heiress shuddered at this prospect.

"We'll worry about your social standing later. For now, let's get on to the rest of these awards," Bailey said as she pulled out the final list of nominations.

"While we've been trying to have each of the awards fit into larger categories, some of them stand weren't a perfect fit," Zack explained. "So this time we're announcing all the rejects and loners."

"You really think that's the best way to introduce them?" Cody questioned.

Zack shrugged. "Well, it's more exciting than just calling them the best of characters and story."

"Anyway, onto the first category," Bailey interjected, taking control. "On this site, there are two main types of stories."

"Oh, I know!" London cheered. "Those with me, and those without me!"

"That's not what we were talking about, though," the farm girl countered.

"Last time I checked, all the stories could be broken into those categories."

"Y'know, she does have a point this time," Cody added. Bailey shot him a death glare in response.

"There are one-shots and continuing stories," Zack said, attempting to bail out his brother.

Bailey elaborated with, "Many people have written lengthy stories, which delve deeply into character and plot. But even more challenging might be those that express a single story in one chapter. These one-shots give readers a glimpse into the characters' lives at a particular time and, in few words, tell a great story. These are the best one-shots."

**For Best One-Shots:**

1. **Cody's Wish** by Kulmanari

2. **Show Me that Smile** by Lodylodylody

3. **Cherry Bombs** by sol invictus

4. **Dancing With the Star** by Aaliyah-Babygurl

5. **Graduation Day** by Tiger002

6. **What a Brother Needs** by Lorie TSL

"The best works of art can pull out emotions that the audience might not even know existed," Cody said.

"And few would deny the power that the art of music has," Bailey added.

"So combine that power of music combined with the wonderful talent our authors have, and you have some amazing song fics," London said.

"And these are the best," the older twin announced.

**For Best Song-Fic:**

1. **I Won't Back Down** by Kulmanari

2. **Last Night on Earth** by Reneyyy'Sprouse'

3. **Bailey's Song** by Super Secret Squirrel

4. **All the Things We've Never Done!** by Woundedhearts

5. **The Reason** by strawberryfinn 13

"One of the basic ideas of fanfiction is the simple 'what if…' question," Cody said.

"It could be something as simple as what if Bailey's true identity wasn't discovered, or what if we were super heroes with a complicated supernatural past," Zack noted.

"Another common 'what if' question centers on what if the characters from our show met the characters from another show, or even a book or video game," Bailey explained. "These crossovers have broad horizons, but also are a great challenge to write. Some writers have met this challenge and produced amazing stories by drawing characters and plots from many sources. These are the best crossovers…"

**For Best Crossover:**

1. **Two Brothers and a Pop Tart** by Lodylodylody

2. **Alex on Deck** by Riana Kaiba

3. **Manhunt** by Snapplelinz

4. **The Romantic Life on Deck** by cetrix

5. **Repercussions: Part 1** by Elianna22

6. **Immortal Midnight** **series** by book95

"Through all of the stories we have seen, there is one thing that when done right can make the story so much better," London continued.

"Proper grammar and knowledge of the rules of the English language?" Cody suggested.

Zack grinned. "Hey, I speaks very well English," he said proudly.

This statement caused the younger twin to look around for a metal object to aim at Zack's head.

"I think what London was referring to was the characters in each story," Bailey clarified. "And you two are definitely characters."

"But sometimes authors can't just write about poor people like you," London said. "So they add their own creations to the story."

"And these are the best of the original characters," said Bailey.

**For Best Original Character:**

1. Leila in **Older Brothers** by Reneyyy'Sprouse'

2. Vivian in **The Last Moments of the SS Tipton** by csiawesomesuitelifelover

3. John Lafayette in **Two Brothers and a Pop Tart** by Lodylodylody

4. Amy Brownstein in **Consequences** by Woundedhearts

5. Justin Martin in **The Martin Triplets** by MorbidMaestro

"There are many different perspectives writers can take from a simple series like the _Suite Life_," Cody said.

"There are some which see an episode like 'Super Twins' and get the idea for an adventure," contributed Zack.

"Others see Cody and me together and get the idea for romance," Bailey said, a slight blush coloring her cheeks.

"However, some of you have developed story ideas as uniquely fabulous as me!" London said, clapping her hands.

"And these are the most original concepts we've found," Zack revealed.

**For Most Original Story Concept:**

1. **Chaos Demons** by Kulmanari

2. **Somnium of Nex** by Kulmanari

3. **Agent L** by Snapplelinz

4. **Separated, but not Apart** by Tiger002

5. **The Ocean** by Suspension

"Then there were the stories that just made the readers want more," Bailey said.

"And, just like me, the author gave the readers what they wanted." London tossed her pink feather boa over her shoulder.

"These are the best series on the site," Cody announced.

**For Best Series:**

1. **Chaos Demons** **series** by Kulmanari

2. **Just One of the Guys/Repercussions** by Elianna22

3. **Friendship Survives I and II** by ItsASuiteLife

4. **Take Care of Me/Yay Dating/A Suite Life Christmas** by Paul Matthews

"During this time of the year, many children's minds are filled with dreams of Santa coming down the chimney," Bailey said with a nostalgic smile. "And it seems that not even our authors are immune to this holiday bug, so much so that Woundedhearts, with the help of Lodylodylody and Snapplelinz, assembled a collection of stories for both Halloween and end-of-year holidays, to which many authors, both new and regular, contributed. These are the best stories from these two collections."

**For Best Holiday Collection Story:**

1. **A** **Helping hand'** by Woundedhearts (chapters 5, 16, 20 of Holiday collection)

2. **Hey Kid** by Snapplelinz (chapter 10 of Holiday Collection)

3. **The Day Times Square Stood Still** by James Doyle (chapter 19 of Holiday Collection)

4. **Arwinstein On the Loose** by Wyntirsno (chapter 17 of Halloween Collection)

5. **Black Aggie** by DarkElements10 (chapter 9 of Halloween Collection)

6. **Blame It on the Eggnog** by James Doyle (chapter 12 of Holiday Collection)

"Well, now is the moment you've all be waiting for," London said, clapping her hands again.

"All these awards have been building up to this final category," Zack continued.

"So are you going to announce it, or just build the suspense more?" Bailey asked impatiently.

"I don't know, making the readers wait is fun," Zack answered, a sly smile spreading over his face.

"Don't worry, readers, I won't keep you waiting." Cody held up a sheet of paper.

"Come on, you're no fun," Zack jumped at Cody and snatched the paper from his hands.

"Give it back, Zack," complained the younger twin, grabbing for the paper.

"You'll get it back," the older twin declared as he crumpled the sheet into a little ball and swallowed it, "in a couple days."

"Luckily for us, we don't have to wait that long, since I memorized all the nominations in case something strange happened," Cody retaliated, happy to defeat Zack's evil antics. "And the best stories are…"

**For Best Story:**

1. **Somnium of Nex** by Kulmanari

2. **Separated, but not Apart** by Tiger002

3. **Two Brothers and a Pop Tart** by Lodylodylody

4. **I'm Right Here** by CRIMS0N HAZE

5. **Just One of the Guys** by Elianna22

6. **Camisado** by ravenxeyes

7. **Consequences** by Woundedhearts

"And now, to announce the final author," Cody said.

"I doubt there will be much surprise considering how many awards he has been nominated for," said Bailey.

"So let's welcome Kulmanari to the stage!" London called out as the applause grew and the spot lights shone on the steps leading up to the stage. However, no one appeared. "Don't tell me I was stood up, me of all people," the heiress grumbled.

"London, you remember that Kulmanari couldn't make it in person, so we've set up a close circuit TV, right?" Cody asked her.

"Remember things, ha!" London rolled her eyes.

"I'll take that as a 'no,'" Cody said as he stepped over to the TV to turn it on.

"Actually, Codester, there's been a slight change in plans," Zack informed her.

"What do you mean 'change in plans'?" his brother asked, evidently scared of what the results might be.

"Oh, nothing major, just this." Zack pulled out what appeared to be a remote starter to a car and pushed a button. The sound of a great gust of wind filled the Sky Deck as a helicopter flew into view and landed next to the older twin.

"You've got to be kidding me," Cody said, slapping a hand to his forehead.

"If we can't bring the author to the awards show, we'll bring the awards show to the author."

"Is this safe?" Bailey asked as she followed Zack into the flying vehicle.

"If there's one thing I've learned from these stories, it's that I can fly a helicopter with video game experience and random guessing," declared Zack with utmost confidence.

"This isn't going to end well," Cody fretted, climbing into the helicopter with the rest of the cast.

The next few hours passed with Zack trying to figure out what to do, Cody beside him warning him each time he was about to do something wrong, London complaining about the seats being dirty, Woody tagging along and airing his feet out the side, killing two nearby birds, and Bailey being in awe since she had never ridden in a helicopter back in Kettlecorn.

The helicopter landed in the COP of a military base, and a man in uniform came out to greet them. "Hey Zack, good to see you, but you're ten minutes late."

"You, too, Kulmanari," responded Zack. "I would have been here sooner but my brother wouldn't let me go past the speed limit."

"Won't we be arrested for coming here like this?" Cody asked.

"Don't worry, I know a guy," Zack said cryptically. "Oh London, here's your credit card, and remember if Mr. Savory comes looking for me, the last time you saw me, I was moving to France."

"Got it!"

"Let's worry about Zack's strange connections later," Cody said, "Anyway, Kulmanari, would you mind answering some questions for us?"

"Sure."

"Well, first of all," Bailey started, "how long have you been writing for?"

"A long time! The earliest memory that I have of writing is when I kept a small packet of ruled notebook paper with me in the fifth grade that I would pull out during the school day whenever I had time to work on the science fiction story I was writing. I haven't stopped writing long and short stories since."

"Where do you get your inspiration to write, though?" Bailey asked.

"My mother instilled a love of reading into me and from that I really became interested in writing my own stories so that I could have control over everything that happens. Currently I get added inspiration from and from great readers who give me their feedback and other writers I talk to. I also play a Death Knight on World of Warcraft (Jarran on the Hakkar Server) which gets me in the mood to write my darker characters."

"It seems like you really enjoy coming up with stories and writing them, but what do you enjoy most?" Cody asked.

"Developing interesting characters, unraveling the plot and seeing how my characters react to it and grows (or doesn't) from the experience. Basically having total control over everything in the story."

"One thing I absolutely must add," London said, "I love a man in uniform, but has your time in Iraq influenced your writing?"

"Yeah, I guess it has. The biggest help is that there isn't as much external stimulus here as there is in the States, so I can stay focused on a project for longer periods of time without getting distracted. Also, I have more time to write over here and have fewer things that occupy my time. I can't simply hop on Xbox Live, drive my car somewhere to do stuff or go out at night with my buddies. It's pretty much work, eat, sleep and free time here and there. I work on The Chaos Project Novel in my notebook during work and on my laptop during free time when not on WoW or playing Xbox. Then there's _Truth Seeker_'s whole 'Battle for Philadelphia' scene which I cannot deny was influenced by being in the Army, heh!"

"Where do you get the idea for your story, _Somnium of Nex_?" Cody asked.

"_Star Trek: The Next Generation_, Season 4, Episode 5, 'Remember Me' and some creative twists I threw in which were meant for the abandoned _Just Visiting _story of mine. Basically, due to an experiment going wrong, the doctor is thrown into a universe created by her mind, where the crew of the ship slowly disappears without any record of their ever existing."

"If you could be any character for a day, who would it be?" Zack asked.

"That's a no brainer − Jarran of course. He's such a badass." A disappointed look spread across the hosts' faces, before the author continued, "In the Suite Life realm, though, I'd go with Zack. I'm a fun-loving kind of guy; though I do have many of Cody's qualities, I'm just not as nerdy."

"Ha, I knew it!" Zack exclaimed.

"Anyway, your stories have been praised for having great battle scenes. Do you have any advice for others wanting to write action scenes like this?"

"Always keep in the back of your head that even though this is your story, you are still writing to entertain the reader and you must balance a great many things, precariously at times, while writing battle scenes. You have to keep a good pace of action going to keep the reader from getting bored. The characters have to react in character (as you created them) to the events of the battle, emotionally and physically. You must give enough details about the combatants, their surroundings, what they do and what impact it has on the people/things around them so the reader can envision the fight but not too many details that you give them information overload and bore them to death. Finally, the battle scene has to serve a purpose, whether this is directly advancing the plot of the story or showing the character(s) developing his or her abilities with the understanding that they'll need them when the time comes for the epic showdown."

"Your stories are also known for an incredible emotional impact, bringing many readers to tears. How do you pull this off?" Bailey asked.

"By reading other books, seeing how other authors make their characters more realistic and discovering how they make their readers actually care about what happens to them. For example, I rarely cry, but after growing up on Harry Potter from ages 12 to 20, I did cry when Harry died in _Deathly Hallows_. That was when I realized that good authors are the ones who make you care about what happens to their creations, and so I started paying more attention to them. I'm also a big time people watcher."

"In nearly every one of your stories, you kill Zack or me," Cody said. "Do you find that hard to do?"

"Yes, which is why you will always see them return to life or at least have some sort of closure with each other and their families. I hate killing characters that myself and the reader love, but that just makes their deaths so much more powerful and meaningful."

"So you don't just hate us?" Zack queried.

"Not at all, Zack."

"You write the characters so realistically, but is it hard to do when the backdrop is all fantasy?" Bailey asked.

"I wouldn't call _In This Memory_ complete fantasy. That stuff can and does happen to people (admittedly not all at once), but no it's not that hard. It's actually easier for me to write realistic people in a familiar setting and then take them on a trip into the supernatural, usually because I'm still discovering what the character is up against at the same time they're discovering it in the story. I use my own reactions, or those of people close to me, as a foundation for how a familiar (or unfamiliar) character will react to something outside of the box. Like I said about writing battle scenes, just make sure that your creations stay in character to keep them believable. "

"What is your favorite _Suite Life_ episode?" Zack asked.

"TSLOD: Season 1, Episode 6, "International Dateline". It's funny, Zack and Cody's scenes are priceless as far as brotherly interaction goes and it's supernatural!"

Cody asked the next question. "What about your favorite character from the show?"

"I equally like both Zack and Cody as I share qualities that both possess. Having tons of cousins I've looked after, but no siblings, makes me sad that I never got to experience the bond between brothers, whether good or ill. Seeing the twins interact is the main reason I watch the show."

"In the year that you've been writing here, in what ways do you think you've improved?"

"In more ways than I can count. I really feel that I've expanded my vocabulary a little bit, gotten better with grammar and learned more about the critical elements that make a story good. These include flawed characters who have to overcome (or fail to) their problems, making characters the reader cares about, setting up an original main plot with several sub-plots supporting it, thus helping to strip away layers of the mystery while keeping the pace and suspense up in order to keep the reader's attention. There's more, but yeah I think it's safe to say I've learned a lot."

"If you could create a video game with these characters, what would it be like?" Zack asked.

"_Super Smash Bros._ style! Come on, the Children of Light and Darkness all given a few unique skill sets, funny voiceovers and randomly designed maps flinging each other off to score points? Heck yeah!" At this point, Zack began drooling. "If not that then I guess I'd like to see Jarran in a _God of War_ style game."

Bailey said then, "Cody has been the main character in most of your fics. Do you find him easier to write for?"

"Yeah, I find Cody to be more of a grounded person, even when I torture him. When something happens to him, he reacts more like I would and analyzes the situation before deciding on a course of action. While I do make some 'flying by the seat of my pants' decisions like Zack, I find it slightly harder to write him (though more enjoyable when I get it right like I did with _In This Memory_)."

"Have you considered writing anything without the supernatural?"

"_In This Memory_! Seriously, though, I don't think so. I like thinking outside the box and the supernatural is the perfect place for that."

"Who is your favorite author?" Cody asked.

"That's a tough one. I'd say it's a four-way tie between Eric Nylund (author of several _Halo_ books and the _Mortal Coils_ series), Liam Jackson (author of the_Offspring_ series), Michael Crichton and Cinda Williams Chima (author of the _Warrior/Wizard/Dragon Heir_)."

"Do you have any advice for newer authors on the site?" Bailey asked.

"If you don't write every day, even if it's only a couple hundred words, it will be even harder to sit down and write the next day, and the day after that and the day after that… Also, read a lot of books to help improve your technique and expand your horizons. Just keep working at it and your work will pay off for you."

"Anything else you'd like to add?" Zack offered.

"Of course! I just want to thank everyone for reading, reviewing, nominating and voting on all of my stories, in addition to all the support you've given me for my work both here and in Iraq. It means a lot!

"Thank you and good night all. Happy Holidays =)"

**A/N: I'm sure some of you have questions you wished you could ask the authors that we missed, and because of that, I'm adding an extra chapter where the five favorite authors will answer your questions. Some of them got a bit longer than planned, so some of those questions will be seen next time. In some way let me know of any interview questions you have, preferably soon.**

**Also, I've received a couple complaints about bias in the awards, and after a lot of thought and discussing it with a number of people, I have decided no changes will be made. **

**And remember, vote, and I will love you forever!**


	7. Chapter 7: Authors’ Roundtable

**Chapter 7: Authors' Roundtable**

"Who's ready to see who won these awards?" Zack shouted into the camera.

"Oh, just tell me that I won everything as always," London said, with a casual wave of her perfectly manicured hand.

"Um, London, these aren't the fashion awards," Bailey corrected.

"Then why am I here?" questioned the heiress.

"Because you're the host," Bailey reminded her.

A look of confusion crossed the heiress's face. "Oh, I forgot."

"Anyway, we have a special treat for all you fans of these great authors," Cody announced. "All five of our favorite author nominees have agreed to come back for a second round of interviews."

"And no, we aren't just doing this to remind people to vote," Zack said, "And there is absolutely no truth to accusations that the coordinator forgot to include stuff in the last chapter."

"So, without further ado, please welcome these five great authors," Bailey cheered as the authors emerged onto the stage. "The Queen of Romance, Lodylodylody; the Master of Disaster, Kulmanari; the Diva of Drama, Woundhearts; the Connoisseur of Comedy, Elianna22; and the Virtuoso of Fantasy, Tiger002!"

"Welcome back, everyone," Cody said warmly.

"I can't believe this is happening," Woundedhearts exclaimed as she pulled out a pen. "I must have autographs!"

London was delighted with such appreciation. "Well, of course, anything for one of my fans," she said graciously.

"Um, sure London, but I was talking about these amazing authors. T-tiger, Ku-kulmanari, Elianna, and L-l-lody!" The author began breathing heavily.

"Whoa, calm down, you don't want a repeat of the _Pirates of the Caribbean_ incident," Lody said.

Woundedhearts turned to toward her friend. "What do you mean?" she asked innocently.

"You fainted, landing in Johnny Depp's lap."

"Did I?" she asked. "Well, it _was_ a rather warm day."

Her friend gave her a knowing glance, "And how do you explain what happened with the props?" Lody inquired with an I-know-what-you-did look.

"None of that was my fault," she replied in a huff. "Props have been known to disappear into thin air, and they have nothing they can pin on me."

The other woman rolled her eyes, making everyone laugh. "Whatever you say."

Woundedhearts took note of this before continuing. "I am no longer a star-struck teenager, I am an adult and will act accordingly," she instructed herself. "Right after this." She pulled out a camera and handed it to Cody so he could snap a group picture of the five authors for her.

"We want to thank all of these authors for their assistance with the awards show," Cody said after returning the camera.

"But none can deny Woundedhearts' tireless effort of coming up with great interview questions," Zack added. "You ain't seen _nothin_' yet!"

"You know it," the author said, pulling a large, encyclopedia-sized book from her bag and giving it to Zack."

"Whoa!" The older twin nearly stumbled under its weight. "Are these the interview questions?"

"No, those are just for Tiger."

At this, Tiger's eyes widened. "Um, Zack, you mind if I borrow your helicopter for a while?"

"Sorry dude, I'd like to see what she has for you, too," Zack said as he began looking through the questions and the other four authors took their seats in the front row. "First of all, if you could erase any traumatic event in history, what would it be and why?"

Tiger paused for a moment to consider the answer. "The first thing that comes to mind is to erase the Holocaust. Millions of innocents would not have died. I'm afraid to see what the ripple effect of that might be, though. While it might be good, it could make the world a much worse place in ways we couldn't imagine."

"If you could describe yourself in one word, what would it be?" Cody asked.

"Unique. I really hate sticking to what people expect. In my life, I love seeing unusual ways of doing this, and will do something strange just to say that I did. When I write, I refuse to post the same thing that a hundred different authors have done. The uniqueness my stories is part of the reason the readers seem to enjoy them so much."

London asked the next question. "If you were offered a lot of money to stop writing would you do it?"

"Is that by _your_ definition of a lot?" Tiger queried.

"How about a diamond the size of your head?"

"If I could take the diamond and run away to Australia, and keep writing anyway, I'd do it, but barring that…" Tiger paused as he contemplated his answer. "I'd have to say yes. With all that money I'd be able to get through college, help out those I love and care about, and really do some good for those I don't even know. I'd be willing to give up this hobby for that."

Woundedhearts called out the next question, eliciting a gasp from the audience. "Zack and Cody are hanging over a cliff. You have a hold of each one, but in order to avoid falling you have to let go of one of their hands. Which one do you release?"

"And I thought _I_ was an evil author," Tiger chuckled. "Well, my completely on-the-spot answer would be to save Zack and let Cody go." This promptly earned the author a glare from the younger twin. "Let me explain, Cody would know more about physics, and would be more likely to find a way to survive by pulling out the normally useless item out of his pocket, knowing how to make a parachute out of his clothes or something. Barring that, he likely knows the human body well enough to know how to land in the way that would make it easiest to survive."

"Now on a lighter note," Cody said, "if you could spend the day with us, either on the hotel or ship, what would it entail?"

"One thing for sure, Moseby would have an interesting day," Tiger said with a smile. "I'd start with something simple, like eating from the best restaurants on board, and then sending the bill to London. There would definitely be parasailing, some experiments with the pool water, and causing the computer system to go completely haywire."

"So what I do every day?" Zack said.

"Exactly."

"You always seem to be coming up with new ideas, while some authors struggle to come up with anything," Bailey said. "How do you manage to do it?"

"Part of it might be that my mind is trained to come up with ideas after writing, but part of it is asking questions. The simple 'what if' can be incredibly powerful in coming up with a story idea. Think of a simple change in the show, and ask yourself where it could go. You might get a great idea with that, you might not, but it's something."

"I have a question," said Elianna, raising a hand. "With your recent Holiday stories, you've worked on genres other than adventure. Is that something you plan to include with any future projects?"

"I'm not sure," Tiger replied. "I do have a longer romance story in my head, but I'm not sure if I'll get that written. I'm also participating in a Valentine's Day collection, which I'm sure Lody will tell you about."

"Try and stop me!" Lody declared, walking up to the stage.

"What can you tell us about this Strange Love collection?" Bailey asked her.

"We've made a list of every named character that has ever appeared on an episode of TSLOD and TSLOZAC. This includes characters from other shows that've appeared in crossover episodes like Hannah Montana and Justin Russo. Every author who wants to write a story for this collection will have the names of two different characters drawn out of a hat … and then the writer writes about those two characters as a couple. The results we've had so far for have been crazy! And all of the authors who've already signed up have been very excited at the pairings they've gotten and figuring out how to craft their stories. We want lots of people to sign up … so for more info see the forum link on my profile."

Tiger stepped down from the stage and joined the other spectators.

"You've written a lot of stories for the Suite Life series. Are there any other forums you'd be interested in writing for?" Cody asked.

"There are many shows and other settings I'm a fan of. I don't know why, of all of them, Suite Life has been the easiest for me to write for. I think everyone knows I love _Wizards of Waverly Place_, which I've written one story for. I hope to try more in the future with those characters. Outside of Disney shows, I've started a fun little story with Marvel comic book superheroes. Check it out by going to my author's page. I can't believe I've never attempted a _Buffy the Vampire Slayer_ story yet … I have all the episodes on DVD. In fact, I think I have copies of every Joss Whedon show ever made. It would be fun to write a _Firefly_ or _Dollhouse_ story someday. Hmm … maybe those should be Suite Life crossovers? London the Vampire Slayer?

"Would I get to wear awesome clothes and jewelry in that?" London asked eagerly.

"Um, sure."

"You should definitely do it then," the heiress said.

"Why do you think _Two Brothers and a Pop Tart_ was so popular with your fan base?" Bailey asked.

"I really wish I knew. I have to admit, there was a time when I'd look at my reviews and feedback for that story and think: 'WOW! I must be a GREAT writer!'

"But then I'd read other stories from Woundedhearts or Elianna22 or James Doyle or dozens of others on the site and realize my writing is nowhere near their league. Yet people continue to shower love on my story.

"I can only guess they respond to my examination of the characters. If there's anything I do well in fanfiction, I think it's that I sometimes present the characters in ways that people wouldn't necessarily think of … but at the same time do not violate the true nature of the characters as we see them on TV. With Mikayla, for example, on TV she's been a pretty nasty character. I would have no problem reading or writing a story that played up her nasty side and made her an all-out villain. But, there were some tidbits about her that had been shown … and many other details about her character that had never been addressed at all … which left plenty of room to make her a nice and sympathetic character, while still making her entirely consistent with what we'd seen of her on TV. I loved that.

"I think writers should ask themselves those questions when thinking about characters and how they could be used in stories. I hate reading stories where characters are portrayed poorly and not as themselves. But if someone can take a character and write them in new and unusual ways, but still keep them in-character … I love that."

"Who is your favorite character from TSLOZAC?" London asked.

"The first response to that question for me has long been a tie between Carey and London."

"Yay me!" the heiress said, clapping. "If you had to choose between the two of us, though?"

"I fear that Carey may have developed a teeny tiny lead as of late, though. Not that I mind having Carey as my favorite … the part that bugs me is that I haven't been crazy about the way London's character has been handled on some of the more recent episodes. The truth is, and I say this with all due respect, that some of the television writers need to start asking certain fanfiction writers about how to handle the characters."

"Who is your favorite new character from TSLOD?" asked Cody.

"I remember watching the first episode of TSLOD, hoping that it would be a good successor to the original series. Almost at once there were some things I didn't like … but plenty that I did. The first thing that struck me was Bailey. I thought she might have a thankless task, having to fill the 'Maddie-role' of being one of the two main female characters. How could she just step in alongside Zack and Cody and London when those three had been working together for years?

"So you can't imagine how delighted I was to immediately realize that Bailey is REALLY likable. She had no trouble winning me over."

"I could say the same thing about her," Cody said, winking at the farm girl. "Anyone else that has stuck out for you?"

"I've sort of fallen in love with Tutweiller. It may be the writer in me that draws me to her, because she just exudes tons of untapped potential for stories."

"If you could collaborate with a well-known author on a brand-new story, who would it be and why?" Cody asked.

"There are so many amazing writers here that would be interesting to write with … though also intimidating. I've had great fun working with Woundedhearts on a few things and am very excited she's co-writing a new story I dreamed up. It will be called _Wicked Games_ … and it's going to be quite different from anything either of us have done before."

"I would have to agree." Woundedhearts added, making her way up to the stage. "This is going to be quite different than anything you've seen before. We are stepping away from our safety zone, in order to try something new and exciting. It's a story filled with danger, and malice. It will both intrigue and shock the reader. Quite a few characters will be tested on their ability to survive the Devil's Playground and destroy the evil mind that controls it!"

"Now I'll let my friend have the spotlight," Lody said, stepping down.

"I didn't write any questions for myself, though," Woundedhearts said.

"Don't worry, I took care of that," Tiger told her with an evil smirk.

"What is your favorite episode from the Suite Life series?" Cody asked.

"I have to say that from TSLOZAC it would have to be 'Birdman of Boston' because there was a really heartfelt talk between Carey and Cody at the end. As for TSLOD, it would have to be 'Flowers and Chocolate' because there's a point in there where Zack really shows everyone how much he cares for Cody. Right after Zack finds out that Cody was hurt by Barbara's actions, he walks around Bob with this deep concern look on his face, and it shows me just how much he cares for his little brother."

"If you were a character in an adventure/fantasy story, what type of weapon would you use?" Zack asked.

"Either an eraser or a paintbrush. If this is a fantasy, then I can go around and change anything I don't like, which includes poverty, pain, loss, heartbreak, sadness, sickness, etc. I think that would be a very powerful weapon, and one that would be great for humanity."

"I guess big explosives aren't the only thing that can be powerful," the older twin said.

"You've used music in a number of your stories. Are there any types that you find help you the most while writing?" Bailey asked.

"The sentimental songs that tell a story really move me while I am writing an emotional scene. I find that I really can understand and relate to the content better if I listen to these kinds of songs."

"What gave you the idea for your fabulous Holiday Collections?" London asked.

"To be completely honest, Lody was the one who had come up with a basis for the original Halloween collection. I just filled in the blanks here and there, so we ran with it. We wanted to find a way to thank our readers for being so supportive of our stories. Then we thought about how fun it would be if many authors were to contribute, and Halloween is such a fun holiday, so why not? Now readers have something they can treasure because they will be able to find their favorite authors in one place."

"If you could have a specific skill of a certain author, what would it be?" Zack inquired.

"That's a good question, I admire several authors and would love to steal … uh … borrow certain skills from each. I would have to say Lody's ability to bring heart to a character/story and Elianna's ability to bring depth to a character/story. Both would really be amazing skills to possess."

"Speaking of Elianna, we have a few questions for her, too," Cody said.

"Sure, I'd love to answer them," Elianna responded, joining the hosts onstage.

"What's your favorite Suite Life episode?" London asked her.

"Wow, that's a tough one, but I'd have to say 'Moseby's Big Brother' from Season 2 of TSLOZAC. Like some other authors in this forum, I am also an only child and have always been drawn to family-oriented TV shows as way to vicariously experience having brothers and sisters. This episode really highlighted the highs and lows of having a sibling. The sweet moment at the end where Zack hands over the bike to Cody gives me that warm, fuzzy feeling every time I watch it.

"A serious runner-up is Goin' Bananas' from Season 2 of TSLOD because Zack and Cody reached an important connection about how they've misunderstood each other. And Cody's banana costume is just hilarious. I also love 'The Fairest of Them All' from Season 1 of TSLOZAC. Elements of the unforgettable beauty pageant have popped up in many of my stories."

"Don't remind me," Cody grumbled. "Zack keeps threatening to blackmail me with the video of it."

"It's not my fault I just happened to hide a camera there." Zack then turned to the author. "If you could change an established character any way you want, who and what would you change?"

"I'd really like to see London returned to her original personality as a self-centred heiress who generally doesn't need to use her brain because almost everything is handed to her. Lately she's been portrayed as truly mentally deficient, and to me that's just not funny. London has had some really strong moments throughout the series, where she's proven herself to be a strategic thinker and a generous, caring friend. I'd love to see that London again."

"Which character do you most resemble?" Bailey asked.

"I'm probably a combination of Cody and Bailey. Like Cody, I was really nerdy growing up and felt like everyone was better at sports, dating and making friends than me. And then I got a cool leather jacket, just like 'Bad Cody' in the 'Bermuda Triangle' episode from Season 2 of TSLOD, tee hee :). During high school, I also had a very close friend who was a little older than me and everyone thought we were sisters, even twins, because we looked so much alike. She always looked out for me, the way Zack does for Cody."

The author turned to Bailey. "And like you, I lived in a small town for a while. I just couldn't adjust to it and when I started writing _Just One of the Guys_, I drew on this experience of wanting to escape small-town life and see more of the world."

"If you could bring back any minor character and make them into a main character, which one would it be and why?" Cody asked.

"I'd make Mr. Moseby's niece Nia into a student at Seven Seas High. Nia is a strong female character and her scheming side has plenty of potential of drama and trouble. Right now Zack is the only ringleader, and Nia could get the girls to launch some hi-jinks of their own. Nia also gave some family context to Mr. Moseby, whose main focus in life is his job and keeping the twins from creating too much chaos."

"How much do you plan ahead of time before you start writing?" London asked.

"I like to plan to ahead quite a bit. For example, when writers ask me for advice on beginning a story, I suggest they start with an outline. I always create an outline before I start writing, with the main conflict points in place and a basic idea of the ending. I write chapters out of order, as various ideas for scenes come to mind. When trying to figure out how a story should end, I've found that the final arc often grows from a single conclusive scene to several other scenes, followed by one or more chapters attaching themselves to the end of the story. With _Repercussions: Part 2_, the first scene I wrote was the original ending. Much more content has been added since then, which actually surprised me, but I think the readers will enjoy the final arc more as a result of these changes.

"One thing I've found with posting chapters one by one in a forum like this is that a chapter is never finalized until the reviews have come in for the previous chapter. Readers _always_ point out issues and questions that haven't occurred to me, or that deserve more consideration. Their attention to detail is invaluable. A couple of times, readers have shown so much sympathy for a character, such as Cody in _Just One of the Guys_, that I've worried they wouldn't accept the next arc in the story. Paying attention to readers' thoughts really helped me strengthen those next chapters so that readers wouldn't feel disappointed or cheated."

"You're researching scenes for your upcoming chapters involving Zack's experience as a prisoner of war," Bailey noted. "Now hard was that to do?"

The author nodded. "Writing _Repercussions: Part 2_ has definitely been more challenging than any other story so far. It was much easier to write about high school romance and teen angst from the perspective of a 16-year-old girl in _Just One of the Guys_ and _Repercussions: Part 1_. Almost everything in _Part 2_ is based on research and imagination. My reading pile normally contains books that would be classified as 'chick lit' and lately I've been reading prisoner of war memoirs and other military books – completely different for me! I've really learned a lot about the human will to survive and the incredible courage of soldiers whose missions have taken terrifying turns. I wanted to write a story that focused on survival and family ties rather than gory details. I also rely on touches of humor to lighten grim or emotionally draining scenes.

"As well, I've met a few veterans in my own neighborhood here in Toronto, Canada, who kindly shared their personal experiences with me. A former soldier noticed me reading _Black Hawk Down_ at Starbucks a few weeks ago and enthusiastically struck up a conversation. He was very excited to show and tell me about the many scars he'd gained. Hence Zack's recurring line 'Chicks dig scars.'"

"Will I get to kick more Ultranationalist butt?" Zack demanded, punching a fist into his palm.

Elianna winked at him. "We'll see."

"_Call of Duty 4_ is such an awesome video game," Zack added. "Great idea with that crossover, by the way."

"Do you find it difficult to get into the mind of a character when writing out a scene?" asked Cody.

"Definitely. Bailey has always been the easiest character to write because she's down-to-earth. Writing London as an adult in _Part 2_ gave me some anxiety because I wanted her to be recognizable as the superficial, materialistic heiress she's always been but with a realistic level of maturity and a job that suits her perfectly. I've been really flattered (and relieved!) by the positive reviews of Grown-Up London.

"As a female, getting into the mind of a male character always makes me second-guess myself. With his emotional, sensitive side, Cody is fairly easy to write. Zack has always been the most challenging character to write, which is ironic since he's the protagonist in _Part 2_. With Zack, I constantly strive to find the right balance between thinking and taking action."

"Yeah, I'm just not a really sappy guy," Zack agreed.

"Oh, please," the younger twin snorted under his breath.

"In your stories you tend to drop a lot of references to TV shows, movies and songs. Do you find that easy to do?" Bailey asked.

"Disney is genius at building allusions and spoofs into their shows – it's one of the reasons I love them so much. 'The Kidney of Sea' was the first episode I saw of TSLOD and I laughed all the way through it. The iceberg appearing as an ice sculpture of Mrs. Berg and Zack falling into the hot tub at the end were just priceless, and hooked me into TSLOD right away. So adding references in my own stories feels like paying homage to the Disney tradition, and sometimes I have to restrain myself from revealing them too quickly in my Author Notes. I had fun referencing _Casablanca_ in _Just One of the Guys_. As soon as I wrote Bailey's heartfelt line to Cody 'I guess we'll always have the closet in Cabin 2-330,' based on the famous line 'We'll always have Paris,' I knew I had to run with it."

"Any closing thoughts?" Cody inquired.

"So much thanks to everyone for their reviews and support! This forum is a great way to meet and collaborate with like-minded people. Your feedback makes a huge difference and helps create a better story." Elianna stood up and waved to the audience. "Good luck to all the nominated authors!"

"And we still have one more author," Zack announced. "Welcome back, Kulmanari! Up for some more questions?"

"Bring them on!" Kulmanari encouraged the hosts, taking a seat onstage. "And thanks for flying me out here."

"No problem. Where did you get the idea for _The Three Gifts_?" Zack asked.

"An idea (inspired by the movie _Push_) that just wouldn't get out of my head and was interfering with the Chaos Project. It's definitely out of my thoughts now, as I'm sure you can tell, and has run its course as far as its plot goes. I may pick it up again as a novelty."

"I'm sure if you continue it, you'll get a number of readers," Cody predicted.

"You've written a number of stories that are still incomplete; do you plan to go back to any of them?" Bailey asked.

"_Just Visiting_ is abandoned; I have no idea where I was going with it now. _Angels and Demons_ was another knee-jerk reaction story and likely won't get finished as it has no real plot. _Reflections In Time_ also suffers from an unclear plot. I honestly think I wrote it because I wanted to create Jarran and also because _The Chaos Demons_ was so successful I felt I should take a shot at a sequel. _Truth Seeker_ is still on solid ground, I'm just focused on my Novel at the moment."

"You realize after your new year's story, I will hound you even more about finishing reflections," Tiger said from the audience. "Which reminds me, can you tell us anything about your Chaos Project?"

"It's a huge and very deep project. At times it becomes very engrossing. The Chaos Project follows Jarran Noh'Malkiri's life growing up in the Chaos Realm as he trains to become a Champion while also uncovering the ugly truth about his father's history and the grim consequences that it will have on his very life.

"At the moment the story is mostly in sections and I'm writing out of order to keep things interesting and challenging. There's some good stuff in the rough draft of some scenes and I can't wait to share it. When and where, I'll let you all know in my profile when I figure it out.

"Here's a VERY VERY Rough Draft excerpt:

The Chaos Project

"Darius was the most powerful person in his day, just like your father is today, but his lack of ambition and poor leadership skills led to several of his Champions turning against him."  
"What?" Jarran exclaimed, appalled that such a thing could happen. How could Champions of Chaos betray their Demon Lord?  
"The Realm was relatively weak at that point and under constant attack by the other dark worlds. Darius was doing nothing but maintaining the status quo and for many of the Champions that simply wasn't good enough. We had the potential to become quite powerful, but it wasn't recognized under your grandfather's rule." Deimos paused to let Jarran process that information before continuing.  
"What isn't in the history books is that when it came time to act, no one was willing to cross that invisible line that marked the point of no return, no one except Ashani. I thought that we had time. I thought that we could work things out with Darius, but before I knew it your father challenged his own father for control of the Realm." Jarran's jaw dropped open upon hearing his father's audacity. He wanted to say something, but he couldn't. The impact of his uncle's words had a mesmerizing effect on him. Their written history was a lie… Ashani didn't innocently emerge from a catastrophic battle as the Demon Lord… It was he who had started it all!"

Tiger's eyes widened at the small taste of this new story, and he could no longer form coherent sentences.

"We want to thank all of these authors for returning and answering some hard questions," Cody said, sweeping a hand toward the nominees.

"And let's not forget the one category our coordinator forgot to put into the last chapter," Zack concluded.

**For Best Author:**

1. Elianna22

2. Lodylodylody

3. Woundedhearts

4. Tiger002

5. Kulmanari

"Also," Tiger spoke up, returning to the stage, "I want to remind all the readers to vote if you haven't yet. All the categories are still open and still will be until 11:59 Pacific Standard Time on January 10. My Suite Life Awards forum, accessible from my profile, contains the entire list of finalists, and links to a community with all the nominated stories. Don't feel like you have to have read all the nominated stories to vote, or vote in every category."


	8. Chapter 8: The winners!

**Chapter 8: The Winners!**

"And now for the moment you've all been waiting for," announced Bailey dramatically.

"The moment that every awards show spends as much time as humanly possible building up to," Zack said.

"The revelation of the fabulous winners!" London exclaimed.

"Okay, we have a lot of categories to cover, so let's get started." Cody pulled out the first list. "Our first category, most embarrassing scene, goes to _Just One of the Guys_, Chapter 12, by Elianna22."

"Not bad, Ellie," Bailey commented as she scanned for the next category. "The winner for best 'Aww' moment is _I'm Right Here_, Chapter 29, by CRIMS0N HAZE."

"That was a good one," Cody recalled, "but I really hope CRIMS0N is able to continue that great story."

"Yea, leaving a story like that is evil, even by my standards," Zack said. "Now, onto the best comical scene." A look of confusion spread across his face as he reviewed the votes.

"If they're big words, don't be afraid to ask for help," Cody encouraged.

"That's not the problem this time," Zack told him, "We have two stories on the list."

"I guess that means we have a tie," Cody concluded. "For best comical scene, we have _Cherry Bombs_ by sol invictus."

"And _Separated, but not Apart_, Chapters 17–18, by Tiger002," the older twin added. "By the way, there were two very important lessons in those two stories."

"Oh, what are they?" Cody inquired.

"One, you shouldn't drink, and two, I should play more video games so I can get us out of life or death situations."

Cody turned red. "Yea, something like that..." he muttered.

"Now, onto romance!" London shouted, clapping her hands.

"For the best pairing involving me," Zack said, "readers chose Bailey and me in _Just One of the Guys_ by Elianna22. Great story, Ellie."

"Just don't start getting any ideas," Cody warned.

"Don't worry, Cody," said Bailey comfortingly. "People don't want you to be alone. The winner for best Cody pairing goes to _Two Brothers and a Pop Tart_ by Lodylodylody for Cody and Mikayla. I have to agree, they do make a cute couple."

"And since some authors saw the brilliance of me, there were a number of non-twin pairings as well," London spoke up.

"And the winner goes to Elianna22's _Just One of the Guys/Repercussions_ series for her Woody and Addison pairing," Bailey said.

"But we have a tie here as well!" London protested. "The other winner is Lance and me in _Agent L_ by Snapplelinz." She paused thoughtfully. "Well, I suppose I_could_ give Lance another chance. Hey, that rhymes!"

Now, time for the best kiss," said the farm girl with a romantic sigh. "This one goes to Zack and Max in _The Truth Comes Out, _chapters 3 and 4 written by Woundedhearts and Lodylodylody."

"That wasn't the only way the authors showed the love between characters," Cody resumed. "Onto best brotherly love."

"Um, I'm not sure if that was the best transition," Zack said awkwardly, "...anyway, the award for best brotherly love goes to _I'm Right Here_ by CRIMS0N HAZE."

"Now for the story that stretched the characters farther than the show would ever think to," Bailey said. "Best character development goes to Mikayla in _Two Brothers and a Pop Tart_ by Lodylodylody."

"That takes skill," Cody stated. "Lody managed to win in the Suite Life Awards with a Hannah Montana character."

"These authors have a lot of skill, especially in unleashing the full force of their evil ideas," he continued. "Many of these stories had our favorite characters face heart-wrenching hardships, but the best traumatic experience goes to what Cody went through in _Somnium of Nex_ by Kulmanari."

"And none will deny all the emotions that fill the story when readers see their favorite character fade into the everlasting slumber," Bailey said. "Best death also goes to Chapter 10 of _Somnium of Nex_ by Kulmanari."

"These stories are so sad." The heiress said, blinking away tears. "If there's one thing I've learned from them, it's how to have a breakdown that will get Daddy to do anything I want. The best emotional breakdown goes to Zack's breakdown in Chapter 10 of _Moment of Weakness_ by Hurricane13, co-written by cetrix."

"I gotta give you authors props, even I couldn't resist crying at some points," Zack said, shaking his head in disbelief. "But the one that got to me most and was voted best tear jerker was _Letting Go_ by Woundedhearts."

"We have a tie in this category, too," spoke up Cody. "Readers also voted _Somnium of Nex_ by Kulmanari for best tear jerker."

"And we have just received word that the tissue industry wants to thank both Woundedhearts and Kulmanari for their hard work," Bailey added. "Shareholders at leading manufacturers extend their heartfelt gratitude."

"While none of these stories put even me to sleep," London said, "we do have a category for best dream sequence. And the winner is Cody's ongoing dream throughout _Somnium of Nex by _Kulmanari_._"

"Now for the best twincest story," Bailey resumed. "The award goes to _Forbidden_ by Everlasting76."

"Alright, now for the fun categories." The older twins rubbed his hands together with gleeful anticipation. "Some of my favorite characters are the villains. How can you not love someone who pushes laws aside for his own desires? They're so much less boring than clichéd heroes. Now, I present the greatest villain of all time…" he grabbed the list theatrically, "Howard Brownstein in _Consequences_ by Woundedhearts."

"See, I told you," Cody pointed out smugly. "A story doesn't have to be an action/adventure one to have a good villain."

"Yea, but I'm sure the most hated character has to be." Zack produced the results for the next category while Cody stood beside him, smirking. "And the prize goes to John Mackenzie in _Older Brothers_ by Reneyyy'Sprouse'."

A defeated Zack walked away.

"Don't worry, Zack," Bailey reassured him. "I'm sure the next winner will be from an adventure story."

"Really?"

"Yea," Cody replied. "The award for best battle goes to _Separated, but not Apart_, Chapters 23–25, by Tiger002."

"There are also the authors who draw the reader into the story, only to leave them with a cliffhanger," Zack declared. "It's truly an art how they do it, but our readers agree that the best on the site is _Letting Go_, Chapter 3, by Woundedhearts."

"Some people have short attention spans," London said, "and don't have time to read a lengthy story, so I'll just announce the winner of the best one-shot before I have to go shopping. Congratulations to _Cherry Bombs_ by sol invictus."

"Our readers are a musical bunch," said Cody, "which is why it's no surprise that we have three winners for best song-fic. And they are _Last Night on Earth_ by Reneyyy'Sprouse,' _Bailey's Song_ by Super Secret Squirrel and _The Reason_ by strawberryfinn."

"Great job, you three!" Bailey cheered.

"Now, for the stories that found that people like us weren't enough," London said. "There are so many different ways that authors combine our fandom with others. The story that readers overwhelmingly voted for as best crossover is _Two Brothers and a Pop Tart_ by Lodylodylody."

"Authors often start with ideas based on what would happen if we were to meet a certain person and let the story go from there," Cody said. "Many of you developed your own characters to join us on our adventures, but there is one original character that stood above the rest. The award for best original character goes to Justin Martin from _The Martin Triplets_ by MorbidMaestro."

"One thing I admire about the authors is their creativity." Bailey beamed at the audience. "I can't begin to imagine how you came up with your ideas, but I'm glad you did. Deciding on the most original story concept is an impossible task, as our votes proved with having two stories tied for first. The gold goes to _Somnium of Nex_by Kulmanari and _Agent L_ by Snapplelinz."

"Some stories keep going, spanning several fics and examining many different angles of a story," Cody said. "The best series goes to Elianna22 for _Just One of the Guys_and _Repercussions: Parts 1 and 2_."

"The last sub-category honors the best story that makes you think it's Christmas," Zack said.

"Does that mean I get presents?" London asked.

"No," the rest of the cast answered in unison.

"The best holiday collection story goes to _The Day Times Square Stood Still_ by James Doyle," Cody revealed.

"And, like all the awards shows, we save the best categories for the end," Zack said.

"These are the ones that made us laugh, cry and lash out at our computers when we saw the authors hadn't updated the next chapter," Cody said.

"So, let's start with the best comedy," Bailey said. "The prize goes to _Just One of the Guys_ by Elianna22."

"Oh, but that's not all," Cody said. "The best romance also goes to _Just One of the Guys_ by Elianna22."

"It seems that our voters haven't forgotten about the classics either," Zack said, "since the best drama goes to _I'm Right Here_ by CRIMS0N HAZE."

"The best tragedy also has a tie," Cody proclaimed. "The winners are _Letting Go_ by Woundedhearts and _Somnium of Nex_ by Kulmanari."

"In the world of fantasy, strange things can happen," London said. "Even things like me being poor." The heiress shuddered with horror. "Our readers have declared the best fantasy story to be _Separated, but not Apart_ by Tiger002."

"For action/adventure stories, the winner is also _Separated, but not Apart by Tiger002_," Zack said.

"The award for best story was highly contested, but one story barely made it out on top," the younger twin announced. "The best story on the site, as voted by our readers..." he took a deep breath to prolong the suspense.

"Is_Separated, but not Apart_ by Tiger002!" Zack blurted out.

Cody shot his brother a glare, but quickly returned to the task at hand.

"Before we announce the final category for best author, we want to give a shout-out to the many great authors who did not make it into the final round, but were nominated," Bailey said. "Congratulations to our honorary mention winners Sillvermedal, Snapplelinz, CRIMS0N HAZE, Suspension, James Doyle, ItsASuiteLife, mikromb13, DarkElements10 and Raina Kaiba."

"Keep up the great writing, guys," London enthused.

"The final category had many of our voters asking if they could vote for a four- or five- way tie," Zack began.

"But we forced them to choose, leading to a highly contested battle," Cody continued.

"In the end, though..."

"The winner won the readers over with their variety of gripping stories—"

"Even those who aren't a fan of the genre couldn't help but get into the stories."

"And the best Suite Life author is," Cody said.

"Elianna22!"

"Lodylodylody!"

The twins looked toward each other, wondering how they had received different information.

"It appears we have a tie here." Cody double-checked the list of votes. "Both Elianna22 and Lodylodylody have been chosen as the best author. Congratulations!"

"Now even though the awards are over, we still have one more thing we must take care of," Bailey said.

"This is a massive project, one that Tiger couldn't have pulled off without support from many people, but a few in particular put in many hours to make the show a success," Cody added.

"So, a big thanks goes to Elianna22 for taking the time to beta this story, which make it as good as it was, and mostly typo free," Zack said.

"And don't forget about the fabulous Woundedhearts who came up with a plethora of questions to interrogate the authors with," Bailey said.

"Thanks to all of our favorite authors for taking to time to answer those hard questions too, but most of all for writing these wonderful stories that we all love," Zack told the audience.

"And because we love you," London said, "We plan on having these awards annually, so head on over to Tiger's forums if you have any ideas how to make next year's even better."

"Keep up the great writing everybody!" Zack exclaimed as the hosts left the stage.


End file.
